The invention relates to an electrical connection element, in particular a connection element in the form of a contact pin or contact tube disposed in an insulating housing and having a mating side and a connection end for contacting with an electrical conductor having a plurality of strands, and a housing for an electrical connection element.
Such connection elements are needed to establish an electrical connection between an electrical conductor having a plurality of strands and a connection end of an electrical contact pin or contact tube, whereby however no special tool is required.
For the connection of electrical conductors to a contact element a range of connection principles are technically known, such as the use of soldering, screw-type terminals, cage strain spring connection or alternatively crimp snap-on connectors.
The drawback here is that in the field of industrial connection technology various connection principles, such as soldering, are steadily losing ground on the basis of cost, that screw-type terminals as well as cage strain spring terminals take up a relatively large amount of room, and crimp snap-on connectors require in each case a special tool.
The object of the invention is therefore to design a connection element of the type described initially in such a way that a connection technique between an electrical conductor and a connection element is realized, which has contacting data, such as contact resistances and gas-tight connection points, which are at least comparable to a connection provided by a crimp snap-on connector, without however requiring the special crimping tool.
Said object is achieved in that the connection end has a contour shaped in a saw-tooth-like manner, wherein flanks directed at right angles to the mating direction are provided, that a resilient sleeve is slipped onto the connection end, that the sleeve is widened by means of a wedge element, and that the strands inserted into the space between the connection end and the sleeve as far as the stop are, after removal of the wedge, pressed with a radially effective force by the resilient sleeve into the saw-tooth-like contour.
Advantageous refinements of the invention are indicated in claims 2-4.
A further solution to the problem is such that the connection end has a contour shaped in a saw-tooth-like manner, wherein flanks directed at right angles to the mating direction are provided, that a sleeve is provided with two slots extending axially at 90xc2x0 relative to one another, wherein segments are formed, which extend up to a back end, and wherein a hook-shaped portion is formed on the parts of the segments directed into the interior of the sleeve.
An advantageous refinement of said solution is indicated in claim 6.
A further object to the invention is to shape a simple low cost housing with a holding device for a safe hold of the electrical connection elements.
Said object is achieved that the insulating housing is formed by a mating-side housing part and a connection-end housing part, whereby an opening for receiving the sleeve with the pin contact inserted therein.
Advantageous refinements of said solution are indicated in claims 8-12.
The advantages achieved by the invention are in particular that a connection element in the form of a pin contact or contact tube is provided with a toothed connection end, which is embraced by a resilient sleeve. An electrical conductor having a plurality of strands, which is introduced between the connection end and the sleeve, is pressed by the effective spring force of the sleeve permanently onto the tips of the saw-tooth-like contour of the connection end, so that a vibration-proof connection between a contact element and the electrical conductor is achieved, which has a strength and contact stability almost identical to a crimp connection which, however, requires a special crimping tool.
It is moreover advantageous that the connecting capacity of electrical conductors for the connection element according to the invention covers a wider range of variation than is possible with a crimp connection.
Because of the small overall size a higher number of contacts is to be accommodated in the same space in a plug-in housing than is possible e.g. given the use of cage strain springs.
In said case, the contacting operation is advantageously designed in such a way that the sleeve, which is provided with a longitudinal slot, by means of a wedge element insertable therein has an enlarged diameter so that an electrical conductor having a plurality of strands is insertable between the connection end and the sleeve.
When the wedge element is removed, the resilient sleeve presses the strands onto the concentrically disposed teeth and/or into the interstices of the saw-tooth-like connection region so that by virtue of the tooth tips a mechanical undercut is formed, with the result that it is virtually impossible to pull the electrical conductor off or out of the sleeve.
A further advantage is the visual signalling of already fastened and/or not yet fastened electrical conductors in a plug-in housing comprising a plurality of connections: when all wedge elements project from the housing, then the corresponding electrical conductors are also firmly connected to the contact pins and/or contact tubes. In said case, it may advantageously be provided that the wedge elements are of a contrasting color to the housing.
In a variant a connection element is provided, which is refined in such a way that the contact pins or contact tubes may be directly inserted with the sleeve into an already known plug-in connector housing.
In a further variant a connection element is formed like a rolled sleeve in which the lateral surfaces are arranged overlapping, and a wedge opening at the one end of the sleeve is widened by means of the blade of a screwdriver. Thereby the edge of the lateral surface on the inside slides along the overlapping lateral surface, so that the strands within the sleeve do not arrive outward.
With said type of connection an identical-type, advantageously detachable connection is achievable, similar to a connection, which is achieved by a crimping operation but which is not detachable.